“Live in the sunshine, swim the sea, drink the wild air.”
― Ralph Waldo Emerson
The Drink the Wild Air winter youth writing retreat is a great time to reconnect with the WordsWorth community, make new friends, and, most importantly, write! Time will be spent outdoors!
Drink the Wild Air 2020
Cost: $215 (Price includes meals – Friday dinner to lunch on Sunday, overnight accommodations, classes and evening activities.)
But, don’t just take our word for it on how amazing the camps are. Here are some comments from past participants:
I return because I want to continue to learn and grow in my writing skills, and the instructors are so kind it has become a home away from home.”
It is fun & awesome. We do really exciting stuff & it is super happy & stuff. Oh, & it’s, like, writing, so that’s coolness right there.”
I return because everyone here wants to write, they want to play Dungeons & Dragons; they watch every nerdy show under the sun. When people sign up for a class they want to learn about developing a character or how to write a screen play.”
I have so much fun here and so many great friends; everybody is so supportive and it inspires me to continue my writing.”
This is an environment where I’m not afraid to be myself.”
A Message from Colin Matty
Dear Friends of WordsWorth,
The best of the season to one and all! This is Colin Matty, Director of WordsWorth, with a timely announcement and thoughts of the new year.
Drink the Wild Air is our homage to the joys of WordsWorth proper in July, and this is your personal invitation to join us from March 20-22 out at Kamp Kiwanis for a weekend of community and creativity. We’ll explore the scenic woods as they dream of Spring's imminent springing. We’ll sing songs by the fire, bathe in starlite, and get a few lungfuls of that rarefied air coming in off the Elbow River as it makes its way to Calgary.
Registration is now open, so ring the bells and bang the drums – When winter ends, spring will come! Until then, may your holiday season be filled with all things nourishing to the body, mind, and soul.
Good Health and Good Spirits,
Colin Matty
Director of WordsWorth
Cancellation Policy
| If you cancel: | You will receive: |
| On or before Feb. 21, 2020 | 100% of the registration fees refunded |
| Feb. 22 - Mar. 21, 2020 | 50% of the registration fees refunded |
| After Mar. 21, 2020 | No refund |
The 2020 Team
Colin Matty (Camp Director) is a playwright, poet, performer, and enthusiast of wordplay in all its forms. He first began his journey with WordsWorth and the Writers’ Guild in 2011, and has since come to appreciate the incredible passion and power of the community of young writers it brings together. While not scheming ways to make the experiences at camp even more magical, Colin runs his best ideas through a typewriter and gives them to strangers on the street. (Photo Credit: Cory Johnn Photography)
Sam Pelkey is a poet and lover of literature originally from Edson, Alberta. He enjoys reading, philosophy, rock climbing, and spending time with friends. Himself a former camper at the Writers’ Guild’s WordsWorth summer camp, Sam is excited to be a part of Drink the Wild Air in 2020. He has a degree in political science and will be graduating from the University of Alberta’s Education program next spring.
Course Intro – Poetry in the Wild
Many of history’s greatest artists have taken their inspiration from the natural world, often finding themselves fascinated by the immensity of our planet’s grand vistas or the detail imbued in its smallest parts. Poetry in the Wild will examine the connection between nature and poetry in particular, immersing students in some of the great works of nature poetry and (weather permitting) the beautiful wilderness of Kamp Kiwanis to inspire students in their own artistic expression.
Julia Seymour is a bilingual theatre artist, playwright, and artist educator from close enough to Edmonton. Her involvement as part of Wordsworth’s creative team began in 2010 so she is delighted to return to Wordsworth for Drink the Wild Air this year. Julia enjoys ice cream and going outside. When she’s not doing that, she is trying to learn Swedish—while probably trying to eat ice cream outside.